Improvement in music-leaf retainers for pianos



J. P. MOLITOR.

MUSIC-LEAF RETAINER FOR PIANOS. 192,591.

Patented July 3;1877;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN P. MOLITOR, OF VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSIC-LEAFRETAINERSFOR PIANOS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,59], dated July 3, 1877; application filed June 1, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. MOLITOR, of Vallejo, Solano county, State of California, have invented a Sheet-Music-Retaining Attachment for Pianos; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to an attachment for pianos, organs, melodeons, music stands or supporters, and other instruments, the object of which is to prevent the sheets or leaves of music-books and sheet'music from closing or sliding down from the musicrack when the music is opened in front of a performer for reading and execution.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 2 shows the stop 0. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the barrel 0. Fig. 4 shows my device in a horizontal position. Fig. 5 shows the rod-connection.

Let A represent a piano-rack or other inclined music-supporter.

A rail or ledge, b, is usually constructed at a short distance from the foot of the rack, which is intended to serve as a stop or barrier for the lower edge of a book to keep it from sliding or slipping down; but it does not prevent the leaves of a book from closing; neither does it prevent sheetmusic from dou-. bling up and sliding down.

My invention consists in attaching to the shelf 0 in front of the rack one or more plates orsmall stops, which are mounted on a springshaft, so that they will close down when the main rack is closed, and be raised to a vertical position when the main rack is raised.

1n the present instance I have represented a small harp,D, the lower end of which is a barrel, e. A shaft, f, passes through this barrel, and has a foot, h, or other device at each end, which can be firmly fastened to the shelf, in order to fix the shaft in position.

A spring, '5, inside the barrel e has one end secured to the shaft f, while the other end is they will all move together, as represented at Fig. 5.

The upper end of the harp bends outward,

so that when the rack A is dropped to a horizontal position it will pressthe upper end of the harp outward, and force it to a similar po sition by its weight.

When the rack is raised the springt' also raises the harp. This harp extends upward far enough to prevent either the leaves of-a book from turning or the leaves of sheet-music from doubling down and slipping off the shelf.

This attachment is very neat and ornamental. It is not in the way, and is operated by the ordinary adjustment of the rack, so that it is always ready for use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1 A music-sheet retainer for pianos, consisting of the harp D, with its barrel 0, in combination with the fixed shaft f and stoppin 11, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with the rack A of a musical instrument or mnsicstand, one or more stop attachments, D, which are held in a vertical position by a spring or springs, and arranged to be pressed down by the closing of the rack A, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

JOHN P. MOLITOR. [L..S.| Witnesses:

JAMES Ronny, Geo. W. LYFORD. 

